At HDMZ, we have a big, hairy, audacious goal: We aim to be the most admired marketing communications agency in the world for life sciences and biotech.
One of the key pillars for realizing this goal is making HDMZ a great place to work. This pillar is essential to helping us attract and retain the people who provide excellent work for our clients.
As the great frontman of The Clash, Joe Strummer, put it, “Without people, you’re nothing.”
Our people are something — something special. And Fortune agrees. The famed media brand recently recognized HDMZ as a top 10 employer in its Best Workplaces in Chicago 2023. We see this award as a milestone on the path toward our ultimate goal, and confirmation that the plan for building a great place for our people to thrive is working.
In selecting companies for its Best Workplaces list, Fortune uses a rigorous methodology. Employees at companies vying to be on the list take a 60-question survey that also includes two open-ended questions. Fortune designed the questionnaire to uncover whether:
- Employees believe their leaders are accessible, and if their actions match their words
- Employees feel respected as individuals, and are appreciated and recognized for their contributions
- The company is fair in compensation and promotions
- Employees see their work as meaningful
- Employees bond with the people they work with, and can be themselves
In the survey, the people who work at HDMZ lauded our culture. They spoke about the passion our people have for the work we do. And they cited our regular town hall meetings, which go a long way to keeping our virtual workforce connected and aligned.
I don’t believe it’s an accident that the people who work here have pride in our culture, and in the work we do for our clients. As I mentioned above, one of our key pillars for measuring our path to becoming the most admired biotech and life sciences agency is nurturing a “great place to work” culture. (The other two pillars are: 1) developing a compelling portfolio of companies recognized as leaders in their categories, and 2) maintaining sustainable, consistent and profitable growth.)
We have also built a positive culture into our ten core values at HDMZ. Among these core values are the following culture-building tenets:
- Live and love your craft
- Embrace empathy
- Don’t be a jerk
- We over me
- Enjoy the ride
I fully understand that the people who work here at HDMZ are a rare breed. It’s not easy to find the people who understand the complex, scientific world where our clients are leaders. It’s not easy to find the people who can communicate clearly the science behind our clients’ products. And it’s not easy to find the people who also have the empathy to understand the mindset of our clients’ customers. Because our people are a rare breed, it’s crucial that we have a culture that will attract and retain them.
And that is why I’m so proud that we were recognized by Fortune as a great place to work — not for the award itself, but for what it means. The culture we have built will ultimately better serve our clients — and bring us one step closer to being the most admired biotech and life sciences agency in the world.
